Amaechi, Shema: Who is next NGF chair?

Tension is rising in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) as the body prepares for its chairmanship election. AUGUSTINE EHIKOYA writes on the contenders, the outside forces shaping the contest and the future of the association.

The 36 governors may converge on Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), this month to elect the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF). Obviously, there is a crack on the wall. Unlike what it used to be, this time, the forum is not united. There are crises and tension. The chairmanship election of the forum, the intrigues, power-play and last minute calculation by the two contenders and their camps have reached the peak.

The race between the incumbent NGF Chairman and Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi and Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema has not only divided the forum, but it is also heating up the polity.

Since its inception in 1999, what is playing out now is viewed by many as the intrigue of the highest order. Expectedly, the contest has generated a bad blood among the governors.

Lamenting the present rowdy and dangerous scenario, a serving governor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “What is happening now is really worrisome. This is the first time the Nigeria Governors’ Forum is experiencing this type of crisis.

“Change of leadership has always been done in a matured and smooth manner. Since 1999, the baton has changed smoothly from the first NGF Chairman, former Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Adamu to former Akwa Ibom State Governor Victor Attah to former Edo State Governor Lucky Igbinedion to former Kwara State Governor, Bukola Saraki and to Rotimi Amaechi, the incumbent.” he recalled.

Amaechi, who was declared winner of the Rivers State governorship election in 2007, was re-elected governor in April 2011, and now wants a second tenure to lead the 36 state governors.

But his party, the People Democratic Party (PDP) and the power-that-be, seem not to be favourably disposed towards his ambition, and particularly, the plan of the opposition governors in the Forum. The governors in the opposition parties, partiuclarly those of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), are allegedly supporting Amaechi because he is believed to have operated an open-door policy in his first tenure, where he allowed the interests and decisions of the majority of governors to prevail on any particular issue.

Amaechi has the support of the majority of the governors. He is loved by the opposition governor and they are mobilising their PDP colleagues to back him. Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, who belongs to the ACN had declared that: “Forget the noise you are hearing out there. When election for Governors’ Forum Chairman comes, you will see.”

While Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema is aspiring to unseat Amaechi and occupy the NGF Governorship seat this what he has going for him is the blessing and support of the PDP leadership.

Though Shema is believed to have what it takes to lead the forum, some Northern leaders believed that, should Shema win the NGF chairmanship it would be a gambit to prevent the North from getting the ticket to run for the 2015 presidential election under the PDP platform.

The PDP leadership is believed by stakeholders to be willing and ready to mobilize the PDP machine toward the success of Shema.

The creation of the PDP Governors Forum, chaired by Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, is seen as a plot by the PDP leadership to break the ranks of the governors in order to ensure smooth ride by Shema.

It is also believed that the recent troubles coming the way of Amaechi were pre-arranged and meant to destabilise and prevent him from retaining the NGF chairmanship.

Kicking against the politics of imposition, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) had called on the PDP and the power-that-be to allow the governors a free hand to elect the person they desire to lead them.

The body also believes that the PDP leadership was behind crisis in the Forum. Spokesman for the Northern Elders Forum Prof Ango Abdullahi said: “The problem we now have is that the President wants to exercise excessive control over the governors and all other party members and organs.

“He wants to take everything and that is what is responsible for the conflict between the President and the governors, individually or as a group. As far as we are concerned, this conflict needs not be there.

“What is wrong with the governors getting together under a forum to discuss common problems and issues that can help them to serve their people and Nigerians better? What is wrong with that?”

But the elder statesman and former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark said that the governors were constituting and acting as an opposition party to the Federal Government, with some of their activities driving the country to chaos.

He accused the PDP governors in the NGF of exerting over-bearing influence on the party and damaging the party’s supremacy.

In the next 48 hours, it is hoped that democracy will, at the end of the day, be allowed to dictate the proceedings at NGF chairmanship election. This is the only way that the true will of the governors can be expressed.

5 thoughts on “Amaechi, Shema: Who is next NGF chair?”

ONCE AGAIN THE OPPOSITION GOVERNORS WILL BE ON THE SIDE OF THE PEOPLE BY MAKING SURE AMAECHI WINS HIS RE-ELECTION BID. AMAECHI CONGRATULATION IN ADVANCE ON YOUR RE-ELECTION AS CHAIRMAN GOVERNORS FORUM.

It’s on record that GEJ is the most battered President in Nigeria’s history.Please save him the embarrassment & let his annointed win as the forum holds no significant value to generality of Nigerians.